"Now that Canadas robotic arms are doing their jobs in orbit, advanced life support for long missions into deep space is the next phase," said project leader Mike Dixon, a plant agriculturist who has been studying how to sustain life in space for more than 15 years. "Were going to Mars in the next 20 years. This facility will allow the university to promote new and emerging technologies and participate in partnerships exploring space technology."

It is certain that future human exploration of space must be based on a biological life-support system, Dixon said. Currently, space mission vehicles are able to carry just enough air, food and water to keep crews alive for short missions. But during long space missions, the needs of the crew can be met only by developing renewable life-support systems based on plants and microorganisms. Plants are the most efficient means of sustaining life in space. They provide food and add oxygen to the atmosphere by removing carbon dioxide and helping eliminate polluting byproducts. They also help provide water and recycle waste.

"We believe that to choose our future, we must lead the way," said University of Guelph president Mordechai Rozanski.

"This unique facility definitely puts us at the forefront of the frontiers of science. It also allows us to foster collaborative interactions among European, American and Canadian specialists, helping us create and transfer new knowledge."

The new facility and hypobaric chambers will allow researchers to rigorously monitor the effect of growing plants at various pressures to sustain life in orbit. It will also support research in indoor air quality, recycled water and waste remediation, as well as the selection and breeding of plants in controlled environments and the development and testing of new sensor technologies.

The $7.9-million research facility was funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI); Ontario Innovation Trust (OIT); Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA); Centre for Research in Earth and Space Technology (CRESTech), an Ontario Centre of Excellence, as well as numerous industrial supporters.

Representatives from several international space agencies attended the buildings opening and are holding meetings in Guelph this week to discuss the future of advanced life-support research. They include the Canadian Space Agency, NASA, the European Space Agency and the National Space Development Agency of Japan.